Work

During my internship at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences in India, I worked on a research project exploring the use of artificial intelligence and deep learning to detect respiratory diseases from audio signals. I worked with audio datasets, explored preprocessing and feature extraction, and contributed to developing a deep-learning-based approach for classifying respiratory conditions. I also gained experience working with Google Colab and Python while learning how computational methods can be applied to biomedical research.

Experience

My internship in India was much more than an academic experience; it was my first opportunity to live independently in a completely different cultural environment. During my stay at Karunya University, I shared daily life with students and interns from different backgrounds, which allowed me to make new friends and learn about different cultures and ways of thinking. I enjoyed discovering Indian food and trying dishes that were completely new to me, as well as exploring the area around the university and visiting different places during my free time. Some of my favorite moments were the simple ones: having conversations with friends, sharing meals, exploring new places together, and learning from each other’s cultures. At the beginning, adapting to a new country and communicating in English every day was challenging, but with time I became much more comfortable. The experience taught me how to adapt quickly, communicate with people from different backgrounds, and enjoy being outside my comfort zone.

Discover

This internship made me discover that I am more capable of adapting to new environments than I had previously thought. Living and working in another country pushed me to become more independent, communicate in English every day, and interact with people from different cultures. It also gave me more confidence in expressing my ideas and asking questions, even when I was not completely sure of my English. Academically, the experience strengthened my interest in research and showed me how biotechnology can connect with other fields, including biomedical engineering, data analysis and artificial intelligence. Working on a research project related to respiratory diseases and audio signals also helped me understand that research is not only about laboratory work; it involves reading scientific literature, understanding datasets, organizing information, asking the right questions, and continuously learning. Most importantly, the internship changed the way I see my future studies. Before this experience, I was mainly focused on completing my degree. After spending time in an international research environment, I became more motivated to pursue further research opportunities abroad and eventually continue with a Master’s degree in a research-oriented field. India showed me that I want my university journey to be more than studying courses I want to explore, collaborate, and contribute to scientific research.